When was the last time you, the care-giver was asked how you are doing?

Do you notice when, on that rare occasion, someone asks how you are that you well up inside and try really hard to keep the flood of emotions or tears back?

Being the care-giver is tough. When you are strong and capable, the competent doer who is always ensuring others physical, mental and emotional wellbeing is being taken care of it is all too easy to be perceived as being ok. The truth is that care-givers are not always ok. They are often the people who need to be checked in on the most. Often the loneliest, feel the most isolated and need some attention. They are usually too busy helping their loved ones that they forget to have their own needs met too.

So if you are a care-giver and you feel isolated, alone, invisible know that there is help out there for you. Know that you don’t always have to be strong and that you are allowed to express your pain. Just because your loved one is suffering does not invalidate your pain. You matter and more than anything you need to keep your wellbeing in balance so you can continue to care for you loved one and not burn out.

– see a counsellor

– talk to a friend regularly

– go to a group support network

– join an online support group or page

There are so many ways you can get help, support and encouragement.

If you know someone is a care-give than check in with them regularly, ask how they are and if you can do anything to help. sometimes a small act of service, like a cup of coffee to the door, can go a long way. Robin Williams is famous for saying:

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

So check-in with some one, ask for help, book the appointment, reach out.

As always if you need to talk, reach out to a supportive friend or family member, find a counsellor or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

xx Michaela R

Life is for living, not existing.

Michaela is lead counsellor at LIFE : ENHANCED THERAPIES, Counselling Service, Bundaberg. She offers general counselling face to face and online and has a deep passion to see people get the most out of their life, find balance and connect with the person they want to be. She loves helping people with mental illness work towards health and wellbeing life.

Check out her webpage @ https://www.lifeenhancedtherapiesbundabergcounselling.com

FB page @ LIFE : Enhanced Therapies, Bundaberg. Registered, professional counsellor

Instagram @life.enhanced.therapies

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The post One for the care-givers… first appeared on LIFE: ENHANCED THERAPIES.

Walk and Talk therapy might just be for you. The very act of moving forward or sitting in nature can help relax and ease us into the rhythm of talking. Being outdoors also takes the pressure off feeling like we have to perform or have expectations placed on us.

Taking time to be outside, taking a gentle stroll and chatting to someone about what it is that worries you can in and of itself be therapeutic.

As a Counsellor I offer this service to clients on request. We walk and as you share I offer insight and ‘pearls of wisdom’ (as I call them) to help you find your way through your challenges.

So if you’re thinking about counselling, why not give this a try? Exercise and therapy, sounds like a winner to me.

The post Counselling…outdoors? first appeared on LIFE: ENHANCED THERAPIES.

” I want to be happy “, I hear this all the time in sessions. Who doesn’t, right? Besides being happy all the time would be kind of weird, I mean we’d look like grinning idiots if life were that happy.

In my humble opinion the idea of happiness is overrated. It really is a honey trap that sets us up to feel like we have failed if we aren’t “happy”. I think what we really are seeking isn’t really happiness, but more of a sense of contentment of joy. Now this would be far more satisfying than the idea of always being happy.

Besides is it even realistic to be happy all the time? Life happens, things go wrong, people get hurt and hurt us and we hurt people, we experience grief and loss. These are times when it would be weird to be happy or even want happiness. That’s because ALL our emotions are important and necessary. Without sadness we would not understand joy, without loss we can not appreciate what we do have, without fear there can be no courage. Without pain we can not understand pleasure.

The thing with happiness is that it always seems fleeting, momentary and then life swoops in and we start wondering (yet again) when will we feel happy?

5 TOP TIPS FOR FINDING HAPPINESS

– Allow yourself to move through the emotions that your body experiences, don’t push away the ‘bad’ feelings.

– Look for the joy in all the little things that life provides you and acknowledge the good in it.

– Appreciate the simple things and get back to basics; holding hands with a loved one, a good conversation, a simple act of kindness. This is the act of enjoying the present moment.

– Help someone, in any way they need, this can offer a unique sense of fulfilment of doing good for no other reason than the good it does.

– Be kind to yourself and practice self-care. You know why people bang on about self-care? Because it works and it feels good.

xx Michaela R

Life is for living, not existing.

Michaela is lead counsellor at LIFE : ENHANCED THERAPIES, Counselling Service, Bundaberg. She offers general counselling face to face and online and has a deep passion to see people get the most out of their life, find balance and connect with the person they want to be. She loves helping people with mental illness work towards health and wellbeing life.

To Book a therapy session:

Check out her webpage @ https://www.lifeenhancedtherapiesbundabergcounselling.com

FB page @ LIFE : Enhanced Therapies, Bundaberg. Registered, professional counsellor

The post 5 secrets to finding happiness first appeared on LIFE: ENHANCED THERAPIES.